Important win keeps Braidmen in AIL promotion chase

Ballymena maintained their Ulster Bank All-Ireland League Division 2A title push with an important 31-14 home win over Seapoint on Saturday.
Ballymena's Paddy James evades a Seapoint tackle to set up his team's fourth try. Picture: Press Eye.Ballymena's Paddy James evades a Seapoint tackle to set up his team's fourth try. Picture: Press Eye.
Ballymena's Paddy James evades a Seapoint tackle to set up his team's fourth try. Picture: Press Eye.

Ballymena had several chances in the first half to cross the white wash but went into half-time with a 9-0 lead after three successful penalties from out-half David O’Hara.

Just after the break and against the run of play Seapoint reduced the deficit when their centre collected a knock-on in the home ‘22’ to race over the line unchallenged for a converted try.

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Ballymena went on the attack from the restart but another Ballymena mistake allowed Seapoint to take the lead through a converted try, 9-14.

This try seemed to give Ballymena the kick they needed as they started to control the game again and it wasn’t long before the braid men levelled the scores when loose head prop Andrew Warwick barged his way over the try line. The conversion was missed by David O’Hara, 14-14.

Ballymena pressed on and after a great break from Ulster player Ricky Andrew who cut open the defence to release David O’Hara to race in under the posts. O’Hara converted his own try to extend the lead to 21-14.

Seapoint’s chances of a comeback were dashed when the referee showed two yellow cards to the visitors. This resulted in a penalty to Ballymena which saw David O’Hara added to his points tally when he slotted the ball between the posts.

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In the final minutes a powerful run from substitute centre Paddy James saw him race clear and he popped the ball inside to Martin Irwin who dived between the posts to score. David O’Hara drop-kicked the extra points to the sound of the final whistle as Ballymena move into third place with a game in hand.

Ballymena: Andrew Warwick, Andrew Ferguson, Bryan Young, Mark Foster, David Whann, Mathew Rea, Willie McKay, Connor Smith, Dave Shanahan, David O’Hara, Jordan Foster, Martin Irwin, Ricky Andrew, Darrel Montgomery, John Nicholl. Subs: Adrian Kirkpatrick, Chris Cundell, James Gallagher, Paddy James, Jonny McMullan

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